Tyson’s CEO steps down, among other personnel changes
PROCESSORS/RETAILERS/DISTRIBUTORS: Tyson Foods, Inc., Springdale, Ark. Tom Hayes, president, will succeed Donnie Smith as chief executive officer, effective Dec. 31. Smith has been CEO of Tyson Foods since November 2009, helping to build a platform to support the company’s hybrid strategy of branded prepared products and fresh chicken, beef, pork and specialty meats. Hayes, who was promoted to president earlier this year, will continue to serve as president. Hayes is a 29-year veteran of the consumer products industry. Prior to his role as president, he was chief commercial officer, overseeing all North American sales, in addition to the foodservice prepared foods business. He also previously served as president of foodservice. Previously, Hayes served as chief supply chain officer for The Hillshire Brands Co., responsible for operations, including procurement, manufacturing, food safety and quality, engineering, and logistics. Before that, Hayes was senior vice president and chief supply chain officer for Sara Lee North America, responsible for supply chain activities for the company’s North American retail and foodservice businesses. Prior to this role, Hayes was president of Sara Lee Foodservice. Before joining Sara Lee in 2006, Hayes served as group vice president of US Foodservice, Inc., where he oversaw the turnaround needs of broadline distribution facilities in the Northeast. Hayes has also held general management and sales and marketing roles at ConAgra Foods, The Fort James Corp., Stella Foods and Kraft Foods.
United Potato Growers of America (UPGA), Salt Lake City, Utah Mark Klompien was selected president and CEO, taking over for Jerry Wright, who is retiring. Before joining UPGA, Klompien served for 4.5 as president of the Idaho Grower Shippers Association (IGSA). Prior to his time with the IGSA, he was the vice president of supply chain management at Idahoan Foods, and also spent six years at Lamb Weston and 18 years at Basic American Foods, where he held a number of positions in engineering, operations, raw material, supply chain, procurement and government relations.